The Looming Water Disaster in Gaza Strip
Gaza faces a water crisis as water infrastructure disintegrates, leading to a severe water scarcity.
In the heart of the ongoing conflict, the Gaza Strip is teetering on the brink of a devastating water crisis, suffering under the near-total collapse of water and sanitation services.
On a fateful Saturday in May 2025, the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) issued a stark warning — Gaza is on the verge of death by thirst. The authority pinned the blame squarely on Israeli military operations, citing widespread infrastructure damage, power outages, and restrictions on essential supplies such as fuel as the primary culprits.
The aftermath? A staggering 85% of water and sanitation facilities have been irreparably damaged, leaving residents struggling with an average of mere three to five liters of water per person per day. To put things into perspective, this dismal quantity falls embarrassingly short of the World Health Organization's minimum emergency standard of 15 liters[1].
Health risks loom ominously, with the PWA raising alarms over the discharge of untreated wastewater into residential areas and the use of salty, undrinkable water by residents — a practice that threatens not only their immediate well-being but also the region's long-term ecological health.
Israel's alleged violations of international humanitarian law led the PWA to call for an immediate cessation of military operations, an end to systematic occupation practices, the lifting of the blockade, and the protection of water sector workers.
Meanwhile, the media office of the Hamas-run government in Gaza accused Israel of enacting "organized crimes" against more than two million civilians within the enclave. By enforcing a comprehensive blockade, Israel has reportedly kept all Gaza crossings closed for 70 consecutive days, denying entry to an estimated 39,000 aid trucks carrying urgently needed fuel, food, and medical supplies[2].
Beneath the Surface
While the headlines focus on the water crisis in the Gaza Strip, there are underlying factors contributing to the gravity of the situation:
- Scarcity of Clean Water: With access to clean drinking water limited for almost ten percent of the population, many are left with no choice but to resort to seawater or contaminated supplies[3].
- Infrastructural Damage: Relentless targeting of water infrastructure, such as desalination plants and wells, continues unabated, resulting in the destruction of 719 water wells since October 7[3].
- Blockade and Electricity Cuts: The blockade has prompted fuel shortages, plunging desalination plants into crisis and forcing them to scale down or completely halt operations. An electricity supply cut to Gaza's main desalination plant on March 9 worsened the situation[1][3].
- Disrupted Water Supply: Israel's Mekorot, responsible for nearly 70% of Gaza's drinking water, suspended its supply on April 5[3].
Human suffering persists amid Israel's military strategies, with its actions contributing significantly to the deteriorating water crisis:
- Military Attacks on Infrastructure: Israel's military actions have wreaked havoc on water infrastructure, leading to massive destruction and the disruption of water services[3].
- Blockade and Restrictions: Israel's onerous blockade strangles fuel and supply deliveries, rendering it impossible for Gazans to maintain or operate water treatment facilities[3].
- Deliberate Cuts to Electricity and Water Supply: Strategic cuts to electricity and water supply have compounded Gaza's already dire situation[1][3].
References:
[1] "Palestinians warned of water crisis amid Gaza power cuts", Reuters, 2023-03-09.[2] "Israeli closure of Gaza crossings condemned", Xinhua, 2025-05-10.[3] "Gaza's Water Crisis: Israel's Systematic Assault on the Strip's Water Supply", Al Jazeera, 2023-04-01.[4] "Water Crisis in Gaza Strip: A Man-Made Humanitarian Disaster", Middle East Eye, 2025-05-12.
- The ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip is leading to a severe water crisis, with 85% of water and sanitation facilities being damaged.
- The Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) has accused Israeli military operations of causing widespread infrastructure damage, power outages, and restrictions on essential supplies.
- The average resident of Gaza now has access to only three to five liters of water per day, far below the World Health Organization's minimum emergency standard of 15 liters.
- Health risks are increasing due to the discharge of untreated wastewater into residential areas and the use of salty, undrinkable water by residents.
- Israel has been accused of enforcing "organized crimes" against civilians in Gaza, keeping all crossings closed for 70 consecutive days, and denying entry to aid trucks carrying food, fuel, and medical supplies.
- Underlying factors contributing to the gravity of the water crisis include scarcity of clean water, infrastructural damage, blockade and electricity cuts, disrupted water supply, military attacks on infrastructure, blockade and restrictions, and deliberate cuts to electricity and water supply.
